Wednesday, 17 July 2013

Centrica plc owned British Gas first energy supplier to end auto-rollover business energy contracts http://www.energy-broker.co.uk/centrica-plc-owned-british-gas-first-energy-supplier-to-end-auto-rollover-business-energy-contracts/

A new process for renewing the contracts of existing customers – without an auto-rollover – will begin in June 2014.Centrica plc LON:CNA owned British Gas will no longer sell business customers products that automatically commit them to further fixed-term contracts, the energy supplier announced today.British Gas is the first energy supplier to commit to ending auto-rollover contracts, and the company is calling on other suppliers to follow suit.Products without auto-rollover will be launched in September 2013 for new customers.From June 2014, existing British Gas customers will be offered renewal options that require the customer to make a choice about which tariff they would like to sign up to, and which will not include another automatic fixed-term contract.Existing customers who reach the end of their contracts before June 2014 will be able to move to a non-rollover contract if they contact British Gas to discuss their renewal.From 1 September, new customers will be offered fixed term products without automatic renewal at the end of the term. Once these fixed products come to an end, British Gas Business will write to customers to offer further fixed term options, and if they do not choose to take these, they will be moved onto a variable tariff, which they are free to leave at short notice.Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Small businesses are the engine of our economy and I am committed to ensuring that we do everything we can to help them succeed. Whether that is support to grow, cutting red tape or the lowest energy bills, we have to do everything possible to provide the environment in which they can flourish.”